DEMOCRATIC MANAGEMENT: REFLECTIONS BETWEEN LEGISLATION AND THEORIES

Abstract

Democratic management of Brazilian public education constitutes a guiding principle established by the Federal Constitution of 1988, reaffirmed by the National Education Guidelines and Framework Law (Law No. 9,394/1996), and strengthened by Goal 19 of the National Education Plan (Law No. 13,005/2014). However, significant challenges remain regarding the effective implementation of democratic management in school practices. Therefore, this study aims to discuss the relationship between the principles of democratic management established in Brazilian educational legislation and their materialization within public schools, analyzing the convergences and divergences between legal provisions and educational realities. Methodologically, the study is based on bibliographic and documentary research, drawing upon literature on educational management and Brazilian educational legislation. The findings indicate that school councils, student councils, school political-pedagogical projects, and community consultation processes represent important democratic achievements. Nevertheless, their implementation is still constrained by decision-making centralization, limited community participation, the fragility of collegial bodies, and insufficient training for school leaders. It is concluded that the consolidation of democratic management requires strengthening participatory practices, expanding school autonomy, and valuing collective participation as a fundamental element in promoting quality public education.